Is That All There Is
by rachgreengeller
Summary: The day that Monica and Chandler leave ... the friends face life as their paths travel in different directions. An entry in the Friends fan fiction contest.
1. I'll Be There For YouMonica and Chandle

Is That All There Is….

Entry for Friends Board Contest…….these characters are the creations of Bright Kaufmann and Crane Productions, Warner Brothers, and NBC

The silver Porsche and the moving van had pulled away and the Bings had now officially moved. Four people still remained on the orange couch in the middle of the familiar coffee shop. There was one difference, they had tears in their eyes.

Joey tried to be like a man, after all men don't cry in public. It was very hard though. His best friend, his buddy was no longer three feet away. Phoebe was never used to people leaving, even though there had been so many that had left her life, a father, a grandmother, and a mother who committed suicide. She tried to think that she could be tough too, after all she was a child of the streets. But one more goodbye, just wouldn't do it.

On the chair in the corner, he usually sat alone, but not today. It was as if they had gone back in time seven years. She perched herself on his lap, the long break was over. Gunther was half smiling and half crying , his Rachel had come back, but alas not for him. She had gotten off the plane, and the reason was there with her and smiling. It was a new beginning for the couple.

"I can't believe they're gone." said Rachel. "I can't believe that they have actually left New York." Her blue eyes were filled with tears and she lowered her head to the shoulder of her boyfriends.

"I know what you mean Rache, I mean they have a house and kids now. I never pictured Chandler settling down like this." Ross said. A million thoughts were now going through his own head . So much had happened in twenty four hours and these same plans were now formulating in his own head. He couldn't be too hasty. He could have hopped on a jet and flew to Vegas and married her today. But been there and done that. He would do it the right way this time.

"Why did they have to go? Why do things have to change. I mean it's great you guys got back together and Phoebe;s married, but why do they have to change?" moaned Joey. Phoebe came over and gave Joey a much needed hug.

"Well I think we have a little girl to get." said Ross. "Might as well go to your mother's and get Emma." he started to get up realizing that Rachel was still on his lap. "Uhm sweetie, you need to get up too." She hopped down yet she was still holding his hand.

"Yeah since I'm staying, we should go get Emma." Rachel said. "Except now I don't have a job or a place to live." she said softly.

"Rachel you can come back here if you like." volunteered Gunther. "I know you haven't worked here in years. But I would be glad to have you back." he smiled shyly. Rachel went over and gave Gunther a hug. "Thanks hon, but I was miserable, I need a job in fashion. That would make me happy."

"Rachel, you can come back and live with me. I'd love that." smiled Joey. "You , me and Emma , that would be so great." he was seeing that some things didn't have to change.

"But I thought maybe since we are back together. You and Emma could come live in my apartment. I am not pushing you or anything but, the offer stands. " Ross said shyly. "Besides Emma should get used to the idea of having two parents now."

Rachel was in a quandary. Was it too much too fast? She knew where she wanted to live but would it be a guest room or his bed? If only she could erase seven years, if only there never would have been a Chloe or an Emily or a Joey? She had gotten off the plane to go back. But was she really willing to make this biggest gamble of her life.?

Monica held the map in her lap as Chandler drove. She was permanently perched looking back at her children. Her babies. Monica Geller Bing was now a mother. She couldn't take her eyes of these little angels. This had to have been how her own mother felt when she first set eyes on her two children. For years there was an unspoken rivalry between her and her older brother. One had to be the best, while they other could never do enough. As adults , the rivalry ended. Their bond as friends was forever cemented by the fact that she married his best friend and he was in love with hers. Their children would play together and someday be told the wonderful stories of their lives.

"I'm gonna miss them." said Chandler as he drove intently down the freeway.

"I am too, Rachel is my best friend and I admit I will even miss Joey coming in and stealing our food." Monica said tearfully. "It had to happen though. Life does go on."

The radio announcer started to the play the next song. "Here is a real oldie from 1994 it's the Rembrandt's and "Ill Be There For You."

_So no one told you life was going to be this way._

_Your job's a joke , you're broke , your love life's DOA_

_It's like youre always stuck in second gear_

_When it hasn't been your day , your month , your week or even your year_

_But I'll be there for you , when the rain starts to fall_

_I'll be there for you like I 've been there before_

_I'll be there for you cause you're there for me too_.

Monica and Chandler sang the old song as they were driving down the road and saw the sign proclaiming Westchester. Ending the song , there was some activity in the back seat. There was a new song echoing through the car, the sound of newborns crying .

"They're hungry again. Mommy's coming . " Monica said to soothe Jack and Erica. "We're almost there , kids." Pulling into the driveway , they looked at their house.

"There it is." Chandler proclaimed. He stopped the car and immediately got out the stroller. With each of them taking a baby , they lifted them into it and rolled it toward the front door.

"After you," he said as Monica excitedly opened the door. She walked inside and looked around . The house now had boxes and the familiar furnishings of Bedford and Grove apt 20. Monica 's face sank when she saw the smiling face of a white porcelain dog. Oh well , it was his buddies gift. It actually brought a tear to her eye, that stupid dog.

As Monica held her son Jack, she held him to her bosom. She wished that she could share that with him , but she took the bottle and eased it into his tiny mouth. His arms moved as she tilted the bottle to his tiny mouth. He sucked on it like his little life depended on it. Chandler stood right by her as he held his little precious girl , Erica. Holding the babies, they walked into the new dining room . There was a bouquet of flowers on the table with a card.

"Here 's to your new life." love your friends …. Joey, Phoebe, Ross , Rachel and Emma……

Monica smiled and looked at Chandler as he held the babies. They were going to be just fine.

Next chapter Rachel Green must decide does she move ahead.


	2. With or Without YouRoss and Rachel

Rachel silently got into the car as she just looked over at her boyfriend. Boyfriend , hah what an understatement . When she had thought of everything this man was to her, friend, lover, father of her child, she just became overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of her decision, should she stay with at Joey's or Ross'. Was she ready yet?

As the rented car pulled away from the curb, silence was the only thing between Ross and Rachel. Ross uneasy with the silence turned on the radio. A familiar song started to play.

_See the stone set in your eyes_

_Feel the thorn twist in your side_

_I wait for you_

_Sleight of hand and twist of fate_

_On a bed of nails she makes me wait_

_And I wait for you… with or without you_.

"You can try to ignore me all you want , but we have a long drive ahead , and it isn't going to go away." Ross said matter of factly.

"It's just I don't know where to start." said Rachel. "I mean , it's us . Last night was incredible and I knew I was making a mistake by leaving , but I don't know where we should go from here."

"I'm sorry ." Ross simply said.

"What?"

"I'm sorry for everything. You know Emily and Charlie and for that one thing ." he said earnestly. "I shouldn't have used that lousy excuse and I have thrown it in your face for years. I have even tried to make my own children believe that I was right.'

"Oh so now you are admitting that we weren't on a break and you were just being a typical man." she said smugly.

"When I heard Mark's voice that night, my heart broke all over again. I didn't know , honest, I did not know whether he was there as a friend or to pick up the pieces of our relationship."

"You meant too much to me. I would have never done that. " Rachel said as she tenderly brushed her hand against his on the steering wheel.

"So now where do we go?" he said

"Actually I think it is the next turn off."

"That isn't what I meant Rachel. Where do we go?" he asked earnestly.

"I guess we start from square one. I guess we forget everything and concentrate on working on this relationship. We keep coming back together for a reason and this must be the reason."

"I said a long time that I could picture us ending up together." he sighed. "Let's be doing this for the right reasons. I don't want to see Emma hurt the way you were when your parents split up."

"I guess I can move back in, but you have got to understand it's going to take time. I can't just jump back into your bed right away. I promise you it's not going to be long , but I can't do it right now. If you can accept that then , I would be willing to live in your apartment because I want Emma to know she has a family. I want Emma to know that she has a Mommy and Daddy who love her very much and they are trying to give her that family she deserves." Rachel 's voice shook as she tearfully admitted this.

"And that's what I want too. I don't want another child I only get to see on the weekends. I want Emma to have a mommy and daddy ." he looked over at her and smiled.

"So we're doing this?"

"I guess we are." he said as they pulled into the driveway. Sandra was looking out the window . She couldn't believe her eyes . Here she thought that Rachel was on her way to Paris , and now her daughter was standing in the driveway. She smiled because she knew that Rachel had made the right choice. She had given her dream away for love.

Emma ran to her father. "Daddy." she happily said. He had tears in his eyes when he realized how close he came to her flying off to Paris . "That's right Emma, Daddy's here. And he is always going to be here." Ross said as he stroked her blonde hair.

"Rachel ? I thought you would be in Paris this morning."Sandra said. Rachel ran into her arms and said , "I couldn't do it Mom. I couldn't leave someone that meant so much to me. I got on the plane and started to think and then I realized I love him Mom. I have never loved a man as much as I love this one . Not Barry, Not Joey, not any man I have ever been with." Rachel put her arms around Ross and put her head on his chest .

"I told you it would happen Rachel." Sandra smiled. "And I couldn't have be happier. Now your father." she said offhandedly.

"Mrs. Green , I know that her father and I haven't been on the best of terms, but he has to realize that I will never do anything to hurt his daughter again or his granddaughter."

"I know that. I knew when you offered to take full responsibility for my granddaughter that you wouldn't. You are a good man ." Sandra sighed.

Rachel took her daughter from Ross and smiled. "We're going home Emma, Emma clapped her hands and laughed. Looking at each other, she couldn't help it and she didn't care if it was in front of her own mother. She leaned up and gave Ross a kiss.

It was a new day. A new beginning . No more "We were on a break." That night they had went to a store to buy Emma's first big girl bed after all she was almost two. After an evening of swearing and pain, the white bed was finally put together. It was covered in lavender sheets with white flowers and ponies. Emma's blonde hair was smashed onto the pillows as she securely held a stuffed orange dinosaur. She looked up at her parents with her big brown eyes and sighed contently.

"Good night Princess, " Ross said as he pulled the blanket over her and watched her chest rise and fall. Here was the only thing he had ever really wanted. All of his papers and dissertations and degrees didn't matter ,he would give it all up just for this moment. She was truly his.

"Mommy loves you." Rachel said kissing her cheek. She recalled back in her mind . "Maybe I don't want to be a shoe." Well maybe she did want to be a shoe after all. She just hadn't found the right pair yet. She had to go through a lot of bargain racks to find the right one. She had went to the bottom of her closet and found a pair that was there all along. The perfect one.

With his arm around her, they looked down one more time and then closed the door. Looking at each other, they walked to the window and looked up at the stars. Sadly their eyes went across the street to the empty apartment across the way. The drapes were wide open. He brushed a tear from her blue eyes. His thoughts were exactly the same as he brought her head to his chest.

"It's going to be alright." he softly said. "I'm here and I am never going to leave you again."

Rachel had found her dream as she gazed upon the stars in the New York night. It wasn't Paris or Louis Vuitton. It was a little girl sleeping in the next room and the man who held her in his arms.

It was worth the wait , and she didn't just mean tonight.


	3. Love Will Keep us TogetherPhoebe and Mik...

Goodbye was not a new word to Phoebe. Actually it was a very common one. Phoebe looked over at Mike and smiled at him. This is what really mattered in the end . Wasn't' it? To have someone to love her and this one wouldn't say those words.

Phoebe was so happy that life worked out . Monica had her babies , Rachel had Ross, and now she had Mike. Back in her mind she could remember the bad dates and the boyfriend bonfire. She knew that Rachel would eventually end up this way, after all thanks to her clever meddling , she brought the lobsters back to each other.

Mike came over and put his arm her. "It was a very nice thing that you did. " he smiled. "I didn't get a chance to tell you that earlier."

"You mean.?' asked Phoebe surprised.

"Yeah that whole getting Ross to the airport thing. I will admit when I first met the guy, he is a little bit weird, but he is a nice guy." Mike said.

"Well he has loved her since he was fifteen." Phoebe said. "When I was fifteen , I was living in a Gremlin and mugging nerds outside of St Mark's. " she said sadly.

"Phoebe , I know you have had a sad life and I also know you think of these people as your family. But now I want you to think of me as family too." Mike said as he caressed her dirty blonde hair.

"It hurts Mike, it really hurts." she said as she allowed the tears to flow from her eyes. "I don't think I have felt this bad since I had to give the triplets up." her eyes seem to sting even more.

Mike knew what would make her feel better . He could definitely sympathize with her. He walked over to the corner and picked up her guitar .

"Play me a song Phoebe." he said holding it.

"I can't . " she said shaking her head. "They would all remind me of them ,"

"But don't you see, music is what is going to get you through this." Mike said. "These songs are how you connect. Music is the one thing that we can communicate our feelings through."

Phoebe brushed her fingers across her eyes and brushed a strand from her hair. She took a breath and sighed.

_"There was a girl , let's call her Betty_

_And a guy , let's call him Neil_

_Now I don't want to stress this point too strongly_

_This story isn't real._

"I can't . It's their story." she started to cry again.

"Sing Smelly Cat. I love that song." smiled Mike. "I know it will bring back the good times you had."

Smiling she strummed her guitar.

_"Smelly cat, smelly cat_

_What are they feeding you?_

_Smelly cat, smelly cat_

_It's not your fault._

_They won't take you to the vet_

_You're obviously not their favorite pet._

_It may not be a bed of roses_

_And you're no friend to those with noses._

_Smelly cat, Smelly cat_

_What are they feeding you?_

_Smelly cat, smelly cat_

_It's not your fault._

Mike got up and walked over to the piano. He sat down and played it . "Smelly cat, smelly cat." he sang.

"Wow , you never did that before." she exclaimed. "Hey maybe we can be the next Sonny and Cher. Oh bad example. Or the Captain and Tennile." she said excited.

He started to play it.

_Love , love will keep us together_

_Think of me babe whenever_

_Some sweet talking boy comes along_

_Singing his song_

Phoebe walked over and started to strum

_Don't mess around you just gotta be strong_

_Just stop cause I really love you_

_Stop I 've been thinking of you_

Together they sang.

_Look in my heart and let love keep us together_.

"Mike I'm going to be fine. I meant it . I want to be the Von Trapp family or The Partridge Family . That would be even cooler." Phoebe said.

"Phoebe, I love you." Mike said as he got up from the piano and walked over to the couch. He started to kiss her neck and playfully bite at it. He gently took her hand and pulled her up.

"I think we have got some work to do if we want our own group." he smiled.

Phoebe looked into his eyes and gladly followed him. There would be no more goodbyes.


	4. California Dreamin Joey

Joey sat in his chair as his new little pets scurried around. Well at least, he wasn't alone now. He smiled as he saw their tiny heads and got up to see them. He picked up the little chick and petted it with his little finger.

"Don't worry you've got me." he said . "I am gonna take care of you." It was so quiet , no baby crying and no arguments from the other tenant and the father of her child. He looked over at the now destroyed foosball table. What he wouldn't give for noise. He hated silence.

Joey had never lived alone. Even when he tried it, he still ended up coming back to his best friend. When Chandler moved in with Monica, he found Janine. Try as he might, Janine and him would have not have worked , because Janine did not like his friends. After Janine , Rachel moved in…

Rachel, she was so sweet and pretty and most of all she was fun. She could throw paper towels at the wall and be so happy. She would read her erotic books and Joey would tease her. Joey eventually grew to love her, but he knew that would never work. Even though he loved her , he made the supreme sacrifice, he suggested she move in with Ross since he was the baby's father. Deep down in his heart he knew, this would bring them together .

Now he was alone. When Heckles' died, he remembered Chandler saying he would die alone. Here he was 35 and alone. Packing a bag, he went to Queens. His mama would make him feel good.

Gloria Tribbiani stood by her stove. It made her so happy to cook for her only son. Her seven daughters were usually watching their weight and Nonni was long gone. Joey Sr. and Joey Jr. were the only ones who usually ate her cooking.

Food had always been his refuge. Food and sex that is. Joey sat contently sucking up a plate of his mother's spaghetti. He had Monica's lasagna's at home, but this is what he needed right now.

"More spaghetti, baby." Gloria said as he nodded with a noodle in his mouth. "It's so nice to have you come visit.

"Where's Dad tonight?" Joey asked off handedly knowing the answer.

"At Ronni's." she said as she went back to the stove. "Made you some lasagna. Grandma's recipe."

Joey looked over at his mother. He knew she wasn't happy about it , but it was something she had to deal with. He continued eating until his mother pulled up a chair and sat down. She rarely got to see her Joey and enjoyed this visit.

"I know it's hard baby, but that 's what happens when people grow up. They get married . They move away. I expected this to have happened a lot sooner." Gloria said as she put her hand on his.

"But it wasn't just that. Phoebe got married and she has Mike. Now Chandler and Monica have babies and they move away. I was still getting used to Rachel leaving and then she comes back." Joey said as he stuffed a piece of garlic bread in his mouth.

"Rachel , that was the girl you liked. " smiled Gloria. "But Joey did you really want to break up that family ? You weren't brought up like that." she said as she batted him with her ring in the back of his head. "You got that from that crumb of a father."

"Mah, hold it!" cried Joey. "I did not break anybody up. They just got back together for the first time in three years. He even gave me his blessing for us to be together. May I remind you I found him kissing my ex not one hour after we broke up."

"You mean the dinosaur doctor?" asked Gloria. "The girl?"

"They are called paleontologists , Mah." corrected Joey.

"My boy is so smart, where did you ever learn that.?You are as smart as my grandson , Michael." Gloria smiled with glee as she cupped Joey's chin.

"My friend Ross is one , that 's how I knew what it was. Charlie was one too and that's why we didn't get along. She was too smart for me. Who knows, maybe that's why Rachel and I wouldn't have worked, she was used to this real smart guy." Joey reasoned.

"She would have been lucky to have you." Gloria said. "Have you thought about what you are going to do now?"

"I still have a job mah. Days of our Lives didn't get married or move away." Joey said.

"Yeah but did you ever think of California? You know Hollywood and the movies? You did that one movie , that World War I one, " Gloria said as she ladled meatballs onto Joey's plate.

"Over There." Joey said with pride. He had good memories of that movie . It was during the filming that he married his best friends Chandler and Monica. He had to stifle a laugh as he remembered Chandler sleeping at the preview.

"My boy is talented and gorgeous. You are too good for New York and the stage. The movies is where you need to be. " Gloria said as she got up from the chair. She went over and picked up the phone. She had something on her mind and she wasn't going to be happy until it was finished.

"Gina, it's mah. I'm fine. Say Gina , how would you like to see your brother? Well you know how he's the big soap star. I was telling him he should try his luck in movies." Gloria nodded. "Thanks hon and give that genius grandson a kiss for me."

Gloria turned to Joey. "It's all set. You can stay with Gina. Joey, life has to go on." she said as she wrapped her arms around her son.

_All the leaves were brown_

_And the sky was gray_

_I got down on my knees_

_And I began to pray_

_I'll be safe and warm_

_If I was in LA_

_California Dreamin_

_On such a winters day_

Joey walked into the sunshine and put on his glasses. He just kept staring into the sun. It seemed to draw him toward it. This wasn't just a whim , it was destiny calling.

"When he got home , he walked into the building. He looked at the door with the number 20 on it. He walked over to it and brushed his hand on the number and then shed a tear in private. Then he walked over to the former foosball table and picked up the tiny Chick Jr. The tiny peep made a squeaky noise as he walked to the other bedroom.

You could never tell that someone lived here except for a few remnants left over. The crib had already been moved across the street but there was a pink baby sock on the floor. Joey picked it up and wiped his face with it.

Hugsy was still there for him . He would never leave him. Rachel would be his friend ,but never anything more. She had never lost him and the vision that Ross told Joey about him in bed and a wife and children would come to be. Now it was time for Joey to have his own dream….stardom.


End file.
